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Fresh from the 2008 Entry Draft, Doughty makes his debut on the Kings Top 20 in the first overall position. After great deliberation, the Kings selected Doughty second overall in the draft with the expectation that he will be the cornerstone piece on the blueline for the next decade.

There is little that Doughty lacks. Intelligent and highly skilled with leadership qualities, he will attend training camp in Los Angeles with a strong opportunity to win a roster spot, if not fulltime, then for the first nine games permitted before being optioned back to his junior squad. Regardless of what training camp ultimately holds for Doughty, it is more a matter of when, not if, he will make significant contributions to Los Angeles. With the most upside of any prospect in the Kings organization, and playing at a position that is in desperate need by Los Angeles, Doughty is the team's future No. 1 defenseman and is the offensive counterpart to the physical, steady play of blue-chipper Jack Johnson.

2. Jonathan Bernier, G

Stepping aside to make room for Doughty at the top of this list, but with no less expectation or excitement, is Jonathan Bernier. The margin between the two prospects is slim, but whereas Bernier is on track to be a very good NHL goaltender, Doughty can be the very best at his position. But Bernier is just as important to the future of the Los Angeles Kings.

In camp, Bernier will have a strong opportunity to make the opening night roster. But Bernier will need to beat out other goaltenders with more NHL experience to win a spot. As it will be better for his development to play a full season in the AHL than backup duty in the NHL, Bernier might be spending most of his time as the clear No. 1 goaltender for Manchester in the upcoming season. If the handful of AHL regular season games that Bernier played in at the end of last season are any indication, he might prove to already be too good for the league and find himself in Los Angeles soon enough as the best candidate to be the first homegrown starter for Los Angeles in franchise history. But the Kings should be smart with his development and not rush him into situations he is not yet prepared for, even when the clamor of the fans for his return to Los Angeles become deafening.

3. Thomas Hickey, D

While Doughty and Bernier are clearly the top two prospects for the Kings, Thomas Hickey is the strong leader of the second tier of prospects, comprising those with high NHL potential but not at an elite level. Hickey was drafted as an offensive defenseman, but has recently shown a bit of grittiness to his game that will help him adapt to, and compete at, the NHL level if he can add a few more pounds of muscle to a relatively slight frame. He has already signed an entry-level contract with the Kings, but still has junior eligibility left, leaving an option to return to Seattle of the WHL should he not make the Kings roster in camp. With no less than four prospects from this Top 20 list battling for the final defensive roster spot on the Kings, it is likely that Hickey will return to the WHL for the upcoming season. Doughty and Johnson are penciled in as the future top defensive pairing for Los Angeles, but the offensive skills of Hickey match up perfectly with the physical aggression of Teubert to form a potent future second pairing.

4. Colten Teubert, D

The second of two first-round choices for Los Angeles during the 2008 Entry Draft, Teubert was the product of a series of trades that began with Michael Cammalleri being moved to the Calgary Flames. Lombardi went into the draft wishing to obtain a second pick in the top 15 to add even more talent to a beleaguered system of defensive prospects. Where Doughty is an elite all-around defensive prospect, Teubert adds that big and physical element on the blueline that only Johnson has been able to provide in the system. Teubert plays a style that is absolutely necessary on any roster, but he has a limited offensive ceiling, especially in comparison to Doughty and Hickey. His physique, attitude and mental make-up are premium attributes of Teubert as a future defensive defenseman for Los Angeles.

5. Ted Purcell, RW

The first forward appears on this list at No. 5. But with the likes of Anze Kopitar, Patrick O’Sullivan, Dustin Brown and Alexander Frolov all 26 years of age or younger, there is little immediate need for a forward on the NHL roster. As such, the Kings have concentrated more on defense and goaltender in recent drafts. Purcell joined the organization as an undrafted free agent out of college hockey and immediately dominated the AHL as a rookie, posting exceptional goal, assist and point totals. His play with Manchester earned him a call-up to Los Angeles where he more than held his own. Purcell is on the brink of making the NHL roster full time and will be yet another young forward added to an already robust stable of skilled 20-somethings upon which the Kings are building their future.

6. Oscar Moller, RW

After being drafted in 2007, Moller went on an offensive run with Chilliwack of the WHL that vaulted his name to the top of most up-and-coming lists. He will have his opportunity to show that his offensive streak was not a fluke during training camp, but with as many young forwards already on the NHL roster as the Kings have, as well as a number of others in Manchester pushing for playing time, Moller is likely to spend another season in juniors. Following up the 2007-08 season with another equally stout performance will bring Moller to Manchester at the end of this season as arguably Manchester’s best pure goal scorer. As the long-term roster for the Kings begins to take shape over the next couple of seasons, look for Moller to push for playing time and take over the spot of such current veterans as Kyle Calder or Derek Armstrong.

7. Brian Boyle, C

When Boyle was drafted in 2003, it was widely recognized that he was a long-range developmental project who required patience. Five years later, the investment in Boyle is finally beginning to pay dividends. Temporarily converted to a defenseman in an attempt to capture a higher ceiling as a No. 1 defenseman instead of an energy forward, Boyle returned to his natural position of center midway through the 2007-08 season with a better understanding of the defensive positioning of a forward. While the conversion did not bear fruit in terms of a top defenseman, it made Boyle a better two-way center, one who can match up against the opposition’s elite scoring center and shut him down. In a brief stint with Los Angeles last season, Boyle more than impressed, holding his own defensively and demonstrating his ability to score near the crease. Boyle will likely break camp on the Los Angeles roster and be slotted in as the third or fourth line center. If the season progresses as hoped, Boyle may graduate from prospect status before the next ranking of Kings prospects.

8. Trevor Lewis, C

Up to this point in his career, Lewis has been more potential than production. With a full season of professional hockey under his belt, he needs to start converting that potential into goals as Manchester will be relying heavily on the young forward. Lewis demonstrated good offensive skills and skating ability last season, even if he struggled to find the back of the net for the Monarchs. But Lewis is still only 21 years of age and not lacking in his skill set. He needs to refine his game and start translating his smooth skating and puck control into points for his team. Other Kings prospects have jumped over Lewis on the depth charts as they have shown that their game is successful in the professional ranks whereas Lewis still needs to make his mark. He will get his opportunity this season, his second of professional hockey, as one of the lead forwards for Manchester.

9. Wayne Simmonds, RW

Simmonds has come a long way in only a single season. Drafted as a relative unknown, he attended training camp very thin on his 6’2 frame and extremely raw in skills. Nevertheless, he impressed enough that the Kings kept him in camp for as long as possible before finally being returned to juniors just before the end of preseason. Simmonds did not score at the record pace that Moller did, but contributed at a steady pace throughout the season, both in terms of points, physical play and leadership. His all-around game led to being named to Team Canada for the U20 World Juniors Championship, a difficult task in itself. Because Simmonds has more of a physical game than a skilled game, he is a perfect candidate to be thrust onto the Kings roster at a young age and learn on the job, similar to the path taken by Dustin Brown.

10. Vyacheslav Voinov, D

The third of three defensemen on this list taken by the Kings during the 2008 Entry Draft, Voinov has already signed an entry-level contract and will be playing in North America, the ultimate location to be determined in training camp. Voinov is a skilled offensive defenseman who, at this young age, sometimes is overly aggressive. Like Simmonds, Voinov is very raw. But because Voinov plays on defense, a position difficult to learn at the NHL level, and his game is more skilled, he is likely to spend much more time in the minor leagues honing his raw skills than Simmonds. The current controversy over Voinov’s signing with the Kings to the dismay of the Continental Hockey League (KHL) may impact his development as there is uncertainty over when Voinov should be permitted to cross to North America. Regardless of the finer legal points to the transition, Voinov had expressed a clear interest in coming to North America immediately, the first step in his development as an NHL defenseman.

Along with Boyle and Purcell, it is anticipated that Moulson will either break camp with the Kings or be called up shortly into the season. He exceeded all expectations last season by finishing at a point per game pace in the AHL and contributing solid secondary scoring for the Kings early in the season. He has proven that he can compete at the NHL level and Los Angeles might provide him the opportunity to do so on a full-time basis this season. He has solid scoring abilities from the left side, which makes him a valuable commodity as, on average, points from the left wing position are harder to come by than the right wing. He does not have as high of an upside as other forwards on this list, but can and will be a solid contributor at the NHL level.

12. Jeff Zatkoff, G

Bernier is not the only goaltender in the Kings system with legitimate NHL starting potential. Zatkoff left college hockey early, signing an entry-level contract during the offseason. With Bernier and Jonathan Quick already in the system, it will be tough for Zatkoff to find significant playing time. But the Kings were high enough on Zatkoff to bring him into the already packed minor league system to begin his training under the watchful eyes of the Kings coaching staff. He does not have the future franchise goaltender tag that Bernier has, but can be a solid and steady No. 1 goaltender in the right situation. He will spend a couple of seasons in the minor leagues before he can be expected to see meaningful minutes in the NHL, whether with Los Angeles or with another organization. If both Bernier and Zatkoff develop to their full potential, the Kings will have a valuable trading chip in Zatkoff that they can use to fill any hole in their roster in future years. Or, if Bernier falters, Zatkoff is a good insurance policy to have.

13. Peter Harrold, D

Seemingly on the brink of joining the NHL squad since he was signed by the Kings during the 2006 offseason, it appears Harrold has finally earned his opportunity. He received spot call-ups from Manchester over the past two seasons, but never showed enough to force the Kings to keep him on the roster. But with the exodus of veteran defensemen from the NHL roster, the road is paved with ice time for Harrold entering this season. He is an offensive defenseman who can be lost or overpowered by the opposition at times. The Kings are hoping that he can correct some of these positioning issues with on-the-job training. He will likely never be more than a third pairing defenseman with spot power-play duty, but he is serviceable enough at the NHL level for now.

14. Jonathan Quick, G

Sometimes lost in the race between Bernier and Zatkoff to the NHL is Jonathan Quick. He has proved just as much at the collegiate level as Zatkoff, has already appeared in an NHL game like Bernier, and showed more pure athleticism in net than both. It might be the competition between the three that pushes each to reach higher developmental levels as each will have more incentive to practice and work on their skills year-round to earn the precious few playing minutes available in the farm system. Again, if Bernier develops to his full potential, Quick could fill the role as the solid backup in Los Angeles or as trade bait. With three goaltenders with legitimate NHL ability already in the minor leagues, there are a number of possibilities available to the Kings and a degree of uncertainty as to the future destinations of the three netminders.

15. Alec Martinez, D

With no graduations from these rankings, it stands to reason that most prospects would drop a couple of spots as new faces from the 2008 Entry Draft are added. But Martinez is one of the few prospects who actually moves up after an outstanding season with Miami University. He demonstrated enough skill and maturity last season to seriously be considered a viable candidate to join Los Angeles as early as this season. Martinez is a two-way defenseman with respectable enough skating ability to keep pace with the forwards at the NHL level. He does not have as high of a ceiling as the first three defensemen on this list, but like Harrold, can be serviceable enough at the NHL level. If he does not join Los Angeles to start the season, he will likely take the spot in Manchester vacated by Harrold’s promotion to the Kings.

16. Bud Holloway, C

The heart and soul of the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) will be on the move to Manchester this season and try to bring the same two-way game that made him a popular player in Seattle. While he scored at a point per game pace last season, do not look to Holloway to put up points in bulk during his professional career. He is a prospect who will need to find his niche in the NHL as a two-way forward on the third line. Holloway can be an on-ice leader and excels on the penalty kill as well as at even strength. The more intangibles he can bring to the table, the better his chances of getting to the NHL. For now, Holloway will need to work his way up the ranks as other, more skilled forwards will receive the opportunities in Los Angeles, leaving plenty of playing time in Manchester to show the coaching staff what he can bring to the table.

17. David Meckler, C

David Meckler is another former Monarch forward expected to step up and assume a larger role with the departure of Boyle, Purcell and Moulson. He provided solid secondary scoring for the Monarchs last season and plays a style that results in most his goals coming from within arm's length of the goaltender, similar to the role played by Boyle on the power play last season. It is likely that Meckler will fill Boyle’s shoes in Manchester. If Meckler makes it to Los Angeles, it will be as a high energy player on the third or fourth line who will stay physical deep in the both zones and bang home loose pucks for hard-fought goals. But right now, the Los Angeles roster is crawling with grinding forwards under contract and Meckler will have to wait for his opportunity or beat the incumbents outright.

18. Scott Parse, LW

A series of injuries derailed Scott Parse’s season from the very start. He never was able to fully show what he is capable of as he was constantly either rehabilitating an injury or trying to play his way back into game shape. While injuries can raise a red flag for a player’s future development, it would be difficult to count injuries against a player who prior to this had never been an injury concern. Parse deserves a mulligan for last season and should be judged based upon what he does from this point on. He entered last season as a solid, potential second or third line play-making forward and still retains this potential. He will join Manchester for the coming season and a quick start could erase the memories of his lost 2007-08 season.

19. Marc-Andre Cliche, RW

With his speed and defensive awareness, Cliche will likely be a fourth line and penalty killing specialist at the NHL level, but may develop into a third line center similar to former King Eric Belanger. The one hurdle to Cliche’s rise to the NHL is the number of fourth line forwards the Kings already have under contract. Other organizations do not typically line up at the door to acquire a fourth line forward, so Cliche will need to wait for other contracts to expire or an opening due to injury. Until that time, he will work on the offensive aspects to his game in Manchester. There might be other forwards in the Kings system who have more offensive ability who did not make this list, but none are better at the defensive side of the game than Cliche.

20. Geordie Wudrick, LW

The last of the four new draftees added to this list, Wudrick mixes scoring ability with brute force. At 6’3, 204 and still filling into his frame, he has the prototypical power forward skill set from the left side. The great benefit of a player like Wudrick is that even if he does not reach his top potential, he possesses enough skating ability and physique to make contributions in a defensive role. If his scoring ability can round out in a few years, he might resemble the Tomas Holmstrom type player the Kings have been searching for on their third line since Scott Barney and Jens Karlsson were drafted. Wudrick will return to Swift Current of the WHL to continue his development and is still a number of years away from reaching the Los Angeles roster.

Kings prospect update

This week’s highlighted prospect is 25 year-old Matt Moulson, currently playing for the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. The 6-1, 206-pound Left Wing played seven games with the Kings at the beginning of the season, and was sent down to Manchester on Nov. 3 after scoring one goal with Los Angeles (1-0=1). Focused on returning to the Kings before long, Moulson tallied two goals in the first 10 minutes of his second game with Manchester on Nov. 9 against the reigning Calder Cup champion Chicago Wolves. While Manchester is off to a slow start (2-5-0-3), Moulson’s contributions should give a boost to the team.

“The biggest thing with Matt is that he is a really well-rounded player. His ability to play defensive hockey and think the game through is at a very high end. That is definitely his positive, ” said Nelson Emerson, Los Angeles Kings Coordinator of Player Development. “One thing that he needs to work on is doing things quickly, at a fast pace. Because that is the biggest difference between the American League and the NHL- the quickness in the game.”

Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 9th round (263rd overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Moulson was signed by the Los Angeles Kings as an unrestricted free agent on Sept. 1, 2006. Prior to signing with the Kings Moulson played four seasons at Cornell University and was named to the ECAC First-Team All-Star in 2005 after scoring 42 points (22-20=42) for the Big Red. During 2007-08, Moulson was called up to the Kings for 22 games, scoring five goals and adding four assists (5-4=9), including a tying goal during his first NHL game on Nov. 3, 2007.

“It is a really tough situation getting sent back for Matt, and the most important thing for him to concentrate on is staying focused. His goal is to go down there, work on his game and make sure that he is putting every effort into doing what he needs to do down there to get back to the Kings. Matt is a great player in the American League and he is going to go down there and be a tremendous leader for that team.

"Obviously his goal is to come back here and play for the Kings, but while he is there, he will be a tremendous asset to them and to the players in Manchester. They will be relying on him to make that team great.“

Kings prospect update

This week’s highlighted prospect is 19-year old Dwight King, currently playing for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. The 6-1, 220-pound center had a breakout week with the Hurricanes, contributing five goals in the last three games. During Lethbridge’s 5-3 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Nov. 16, King had bookend goals, scoring the first and fifth, earning himself the Third Star of the game. Two days earlier King tallied the only two goals for the Hurricanes in a 4-2 loss to the Kootenay Ice, scoring once on the power play. On Nov. 12, while Lethbridge struggled in a 5-2 loss to the Spokane Chiefs, King had an unassisted goal in the third period. His recent scoring has brought King up to 25 points this season (11-14=25) in 20 games.

“I had the chance to go out there and stay with him this year about a month ago, and one of the things that jumps out at you about King is the fact that his puck possession and puck skills are at a very high level, ” said Nelson Emerson, Los Angeles Kings Coordinator of Player Development. “When he gets the puck offensively it is very hard for the other team to get it away from him. His puck protection is very good.”

Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 4th round (109th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, King is currently in his fourth full season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. While currently fifth in the Central Division, last season the Hurricanes went all the way to the WHL Championship Finals to earn their first Eastern Conference Championship banner in 11 years. King contributed to that winning team with 69 regular season points (34-35=69) and 14 points (8-6=14) during the playoffs.

“What he needs to work on, and we have been communicating a lot with him about this, is that when he reaches his high level of puck protection, he needs to maintain that. We just want to make sure that when he gets to that level he sustains it. A lot comes into play there because he needs to stay athletic, he needs to stay strong on pucks and he needs to do it for the duration of the game. Every time he plays he needs to keep that in mind. As for the future, he needs to finish off his season up in Lethbridge, and they should have a good season, and we are going o be following him extremely closely till the end.

"He has been a great junior player, and we would expect that he would move on to be a good solid pro. It’s all up to him, really."

Kings prospect update

This week’s highlighted prospect is 20-year old Justin Azevedo, currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings AHL Affiliate Manchester Monarchs. The 5-7, 180-pound center from St. Thomas, ON, tallied three goals and one assist in three games this week with the Monarchs. All three of Azevedo’s goals came during Manchester's 5-0 road trip, including two in a 3-2 shootout win over the Grand Rapids Griffins the day before Thanksgiving. In a 2-1 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack on Nov. 29 Azevedo made a stellar pass to Marty Murray who set up Teddy Purcell for his ninth goal of the season to mark Azevedo’s fourth assist this year. After coming off of a wrist injury which held him out of the Monarch’s first 12 games of the season, Azevedo has eight points in eight games (4-4=8). After the perfect road trip, Manchester is now 9-8-3 with 21 points to take sixth in the Atlantic Division.

“He had a wrist injury and it was really tough for him to be watching all that time. But he got back in and he was a real boost to the team down there,” said Nelson Emerson, Los Angeles Kings Coordinator of Player Development. “Now once he got in the Manchester lineup, he really gave that team a boost offensively. He is great on the power play and I think he helped a lot of the other players down there just because of his playmaking abilities. ”

Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 6th round (153rd overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Azevedo played for the OHL Kitchener Rangers last season, finishing with 124 points (43-81=124). In addition to his invaluable regular season play, Azevedo was named to the 2008 OHL First All-Star Team, the 2008 Canadian Major Junior All-Star Team and the 2008 Memorial Cup All-Star Team. In addition, the Ed Chynoweth Trophy for leading scorer in the Memorial Cup Tournament went home with Azevedo, along with the title of Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year for 2008.

"He is a really creative player who had a great Junior year last year. He was voted the top Junior player in all of Canada, which is quite an accomplishment. His offensively creativity is definitely his asset; he is very tenacious on loose pucks. For him, and he knows it too, just adjusting to the pro game is his big thing. It will be great for him to be in there for the second half of the season because it is a time in the year when pros become real pros and he is going to have to adjust to that.

"We definitely think he is capable because he has been a great player so far."

Other Los Angeles Kings prospects that had a remarkable week include Teddy Purcell who tallied three goals and three assists in five games with the Monarchs, and Jonathan Quick who stopped both the Portland Pirates and the Chicago Wolves to bring Manchester two more victories.

Kings young d continues to develop

Kings defensive prospects Thomas Hickey and Colten Teubert have been invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp from December 11-14, vying to make the 22-man roster that will compete for Canada's fifth-straight gold medal at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships, set to start Dec. 26.

The St. Louis Blues have the most drafted players invited to Canada’s 2008 selection camp, with three, while the Kings are one of six NHL teams - Buffalo, Columbus, Edmonton, New York Islanders and Tampa Bay - with two prospects at camp.

And of the seven teams with multiple prospects at camp, only the Kings and Islanders have two defensive prospects invited to the camp, and all indications are that both Hickey and Teubert have a good chance to make the 22-man roster.

Hickey, who plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds, is one of seven players invited to camp that are currently captains of their junior teams and one of just four players returning from the 2008 Gold Medal winning Canada National Junior Team.

Kings President/GM Dean Lombardi sees a role of leadership for Hickey on this team, which could be a big step in his development.

“Hicks has a chance at captain, or at least be one of the captains, and that’s a huge responsibility,” Lombardi said from his office at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. “I know what they think of him up there, of his character. It is going be a heck of a challenge for him.”

Kings Coordinator of Player Development and Systems Integration Nelson Emerson added: “The fact that he has been there before, he needs to put it on himself to be a real leader. He needs to have a good camp next week and he needs to show them that he is ready for the task, ready to stand up and lead the team in this tournament.”
Hickey won the Gold Medal with Team Canada at the IIHF World Juniors last season.

This season, Hickey, the Kings first round pick, fourth overall in 2007, has posted 6-9=15 and is a +13 in 22 games for Seattle of the WHL. Last season, his third in Seattle, Hickey finished with 45 points (11-34=45), 10th amongst WHL defenseman, in 63 regular season games.

In addition, Hickey was named a WHL First-Team All-Star and was a member of Team Canada at the 2008 World Junior Championships held in the Czech Republic, scoring 0-1=1 with four penalty minutes and had a plus-4 rating in seven games.

Though at a different stage in his development, Teubert also has some experience playing for national teams. He was Alternate captain of Team Canada at the 2008 World Junior Under-18 Championships, where he recorded one point (0-1=1), 30 penalty minutes and was a plus-8 rating in seven games, helping Team Canada win the gold medal. In addition, Teubert represented Canada at the Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial in August 2007.

“Colten is at a different stage, he played in the Under 17 last year, so it will be a challenge for him,” Lombardi said. “One of things he brings, one of the reasons why we drafted him, is his leadership and physical play. I want to see a mix - we are not only looking for the best players but the best fit. He brings some things that are very unique.

“We are very proud of him.”

Teubert, Los Angeles' 1st round choice, 13th overall, in 2008 , has posted 8-12=20 with 68 IM and a +15 rating with the Regina Pats this year. He has already bettered his seven goals from last season and is just three points shy of his career-high scoring mark of 7-16=23 of a year ago.
Teubert has already set a career high with eight goals. He is three points shy of tying his career high of 23 (7-16=23) from a year ago.

One thing that really got the Kings attention was his 135 penalty minutes last season.

“We like him because of his physical presence and that’s what is going to help him with Team Canada in this evaluation process. Hopefully he is going to be mean and tough and that’s how we like him to play,” Emerson said. “He has played 30 games already and he is having a good season, probably a better season offensively than he is used to.

“His whole game is starting to come together and come around.”

Pat Quinn, head coach of Canada’s 2009 National Junior Team and a former Kings head coach, had this to say about the 6-4 Teubert: “With Teubert, I first had him overseas [under 18 team at the World Championship in Russia], and I thought he was very much an overanxious player, trying to get hits every time he was on the ice. He would chase himself out of position. But as the tournament went on he became more and more dependable.

“He put some raps on his game as far as going to areas where it was not a good place to go and he still made some really physical contact. He was always a presence out there in that the opposition knew where he was all the time. I like how he skates, holds the puck and he showed some real leadership for us on that team. So he is a good candidate for our club as well.”

Both Hickey and Teubert have an opportunity to make the team, further proof of the organization’s depth on the blueline.

“The thing I said 24 months ago was reserve list. We built a reserve list of young defenseman and I look at the kids here now, Kyle Quincey (23), Drew Doughty (18), Jack Johnson (21), Matt Greene (25) and Peter Harrold (25), all 25 and under and are here now.

“We are the youngest team on the blueline in the minors now (Andrew Campbell 20, Davis Drewiske 24, Josh Kidd 20, Alec Martinez 21, Joe Piskula 24, Viatcheslav Voynov 18), with an 18-year old playing (Voynov) and a couple of 20-year olds playing (Campbell, Kidd). Then you go to the Juniors and we have two of the top young defensemen in Canada. We just can’t have enough.

This week we are highlighting 21-year old Alec Martinez of the Los Angeles Kings AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs. Martinez, currently in his first year as a professional hockey player, was drafted by the Kings in the fourth round (95th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. This week Martinez tallied two points (1-1=2) including a game winning goal on Dec. 5 against the Worcester Sharks, when the 6’1”, 214-pound defenseman found the back of the net off a pass from Brian Boyle. His assist the next night on a pass to fellow Kings prospect Drew Bagnall against the Springfield Falcons brought Martinez’s season total to five points (2-3=5) in 20 games with Manchester.

“Alec is coming out of college, so becoming a pro is a big step for him this year” said Kings Coordinator of Player Development and Systems Integration Nelson Emerson. “It’s tough for college kids to come out right away and get used to the pro game. So that’s what he has had to deal with these first three or four months. One of things that’s great about him is that he really wants to learn-like all of them- but he is a kid who spends a lot of time asking questions and a lot of time trying to learn the pro game and what will help him be better.”

Prior to joining the Monarchs, Martinez played for Miami University, registering 32 points (9-23=32) in his final year with the Red Hawks. Named the 2008 Central Collegiate Association Defenseman of the Year, Martinez was also a member of the CCHA First All-Star team last year, further proof of the Kings dedication to the increasing depth of the blueline.

“One great thing about Manchester is that the coaches, Mark Morris and Scott Pellerin, are really focused on developing those young players, so it is a really big benefit to [Martinez]. With Alec, he always makes plays with his head up which is a real positive for him. He gets pucks, turns and comes out of his own end.

"His ability to make that first pass is really good.”

As featured here on LAKings.com, two other Los Angeles Kings defensive prospects, Colten Teubert and Thomas Hickey, were invited last week to attend Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp from December 11-14. Both players have a good chance to represent Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships, while Hickey, the Kings No. 1 draft pick in 2007, is one of just four returning players from the 2008 Gold Medal winning Canada National Junior Team.

"The fact that he has been there before, he needs to put it on himself to be a real leader" Emerson said about Hickey's expected performace. "He needs to have a good camp next week and he needs to show them that he is ready for the task, ready to stand up and lead the team in this tournament.”

Notable performances were given this week by Los Angeles Kings defensive prospect Josh Meyers, who extended his scoring streak to seven games with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and Bryan Cameron, who racked up five goals and two assists in three games with the OHL Belleville Bulls.

This week we are highlighting 21-year old Trevor Lewis of the Los Angeles Kings AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs. Currently the Monarchs scoring leader with eight goals and 19 points (8-11=19), Lewis had the best point production of any Kings prospect this week with six points (2-4=6) in four games. On Sunday Dec. 14 the 6’1”, 204-pound forward found the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season during Manchester’s second game in their sweep of a home-and-home against the division leader Providence Bruins. The previous night Lewis showed no mercy to the Bruins as he lit the lamp once and passed the puck twice to earn himself three points (1-2=3) for the night as the Monarchs broke a three-game losing streak in front of their home audience. Manchester is now 12-11-0-4 with 27 points, edging out the Lowell Devils for sixth place in the Atlantic Division.

“I was just in Manchester over the weekend and their team has had a lot of injuries,” said Kings Coordinator of Player Development and Systems Integration Nelson Emerson. “The one thing that Trevor has done is become a real leader of the group down there and stepped up offensively. The best thing about Trevor is that his game has become real complete. He is playing all 200 feet of the ice, killing penalties, taking face-offs.”

Part of a draft day trade in which Minnesota gave the Kings a first round selection and Patrick O'Sullivan in exchange for Pavol Demitra, Lewis was drafted by the Kings 17th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Playing for Des Moines in 2006, Lewis was named the USHL Player of The Year with 75 points (35-40=75) in 56 games. The following year Lewis, a Salt Lake City, Utah native, played for the OHL Owen Sound Attack, registering 73 points in 62 games. In April of 2007 he got the call up to Manchester where he earned himself a spot for the next season, registering six points (4-2=6) in eight games. In 2007-08 Lewis had 28 (12-16=28) points in 76 games with the Monarchs, a total he is on pace to break long before the end of the season.

“He continually needs to work on his shot and being able to get his shot away quicker. He needs to obviously work on finding those holes offensively. But his game is becoming real complete, and he has been a pleasure to watch and work with the last 12 months. If he stays on his path and keeps moving in a forward direction, its totally up to him.

"If he keeps going this way good things are going to happen to him for sure.”

A member of Team USA in the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championships, Lewis had two points (1-1=2) in seven games during last year’s tournament as the team barely missed a medal with a loss to Russia. This year, in addition to Colten Teubert and Thomas Hickey, the two Los Angeles Kings defensive prospects who made the roster for Team Canada at the 2009 World Junior Championships, Kings prospects Viatcheslav Voynov and Andrei Loktionov are on the roster for Russia, while Oscar Moller is will be released so that he can participate in the tournament for Sweden. Click here for more information on Kings prospects participating in the World Juniors.

Notable performances were given this week by Los Angeles Kings defensive prospect Andrew Campbell who had three points (1-2=3) in four games with the Manchester Monarchs, and goaltender Martin Jones of the WHL Calgary Hitmen, who recorded three straight wins this week, including a Dec. 10 shutout against the Everett Silvertips.

World Junior Report -- Future looks bright

The Defence core for the Los Angeles Kings looks bright and here is a couple little bios for some of the Kings players in the world juniors. Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson are already up there but here are a couple more that you may not know too much about.

Notes - Attended Canada's National Junior Team development camp in July ... Won gold with Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship ... Helped Canada capture the Canada/Russia Super Series in 2007 ... Won gold with Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team at the 2006 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka ...Played for Team Pacific at the 2006 World Under-17 Challenge.

Hickey's strong suit is his skating ability, a skill that has enabled him to excel in the WHL at a young age. Another product of the successful Hockey Canada programs, Hickey exudes confidence on and off the ice. He plays bigger than his 5'11, 185-pound frame might suggest. A well-spoken player with great on-ice vision. Uses his skating ability to move the puck out of the zone and pressure the opposition's forwards up-ice. Might develop into a future powerplay quarterback.

Notes - Attended Canada's National Junior Team development camp in July ... Won gold with Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team at the 2008 IIHF World Under-18 Championship ... Was a member of Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team at the 2007 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka ... Was a member of Team British Columbia at the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

Teubert is not much of a threat on offense. The 6’4 blue liner is a big, strong, stay at home defenseman. He plays a shutdown defensive game. Continued focus on building foot speed and quickness will complement his physical stature. Size, grittiness and toughness are obvious attributes. A fierce competitor that thrives on going up against the opposition's best.

A talented universal defenseman whose offensive abilities have been compared to that of Kiril Koltsov, but also possesses defensive responsibility, something that Koltsov lacks…an above average skater with good technique, but has only average acceleration and needs to improve his first step…a capable puck handler, capable of bringing the puck up the ice…doesn’t shoot the puck as often as he should in the offensive zone, but does have a decent slap shot from the blue line….capable of quarterbacking a powerplay with some nice feeds and calm puck management…capable of playing physical hockey and taking the game to his opponents, even if he is smaller than them in stature…capable of making nice open ice hits, but doesn’t hit in the open ice as often as he should…strong positionally, but at times can be caught out of position, especially in the neutral zone if he decides to take a chance on the play and create an offensive chance for his linemates…not very big, thus putting to question his ability to fully adopt his skill-set to North American hockey, though he has proven his ability to play well in traffic and under pressure…very mature for his age, getting significant minutes against professionals in the Super League from the age of just 16…sees the ice very well and understands the game, making very good decisions with and without the puck.

He is playing great and a very pivotal role for the Russian squad in this world juniors. This is his 3rd consecutive year playing for the Russians in the world juniors so when he eventually comes over look for this kid to be a force.

There are 5 really really really nice defencemen very soon to be ready for this young hockey club and fans should be excited for this team in the future.